Birth policy to be strictly enforced

December 28, 2012

The Food & Health Bureau has reiterated that according to the zero quota policy promulgated earlier, all public hospitals will not accept any bookings by pregnant non-local women for delivery in Hong Kong from January 1 onwards.
 
Private hospitals have also unanimously agreed to stop accepting bookings from pregnant Mainland women, whose husbands are not Hong Kong permanent residents.
 
For pregnant Mainland women whose husbands are Hong Kong permanent residents, or Hong Kong residents who came on One-way Permits who have made bookings at local private hospitals for delivery in 2013, their identity and their marital relations with their husbands will be subject to stringent verification.
 
The Immigration Department, the Office of the Licensing Authority, and other law enforcement agencies will boost interception and enforcement actions against pregnant Mainland women whose husbands are not Hong Kong permanent residents.
 
The measures include strengthening immigration examination of all pregnant Mainland women, combating the illicit agencies helping them come to Hong Kong to give birth, and enhancing inspection and enforcement against unlicensed guesthouses.
 
The Government will closely monitor the utilisation of local obstetric services by pregnant non-local women in 2013, and will take resolute actions to tackle the situation as appropriate.